5Things to Know About MERS

The MERS virus has made its way from the Middle East into Europe, Africa, South Asia and North America, with two cases confirmed in the U.S. As the number of cases continues to grow, health authorities are calling for more urgent measures to control the potentially fatal virus that has infected hundreds of people globally.

1MERS is a deadly viral illness that targets the respiratory system.

MERS, which stands for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, is a deadly virus that was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and now has been reported in at least 18 countries. Most people diagnosed with MERS have developed severe respiratory illness, with symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pneumonia and gastrointestinal symptoms also have been reported. About 27% of people with MERS have died. As of May 9, more than 500 cases had been confirmed, the World Health Organization says.

27%
The percentage of confirmed MERS patients that have died

2So far, all reported MERS cases have been linked to the Middle East.

The majority of MERS cases have been concentrated in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Jordan and several other countries in the Arabian Peninsula have reported cases as well. Travel from the region has caused cases to pop up elsewhere, including in European countries such as France, Germany and the U.K. Malaysia and the Philippines have also reported cases, as have Egypt and Tunisia. This week, a second confirmed case appeared in the U.S. Within the U.S., however, the risk of contracting the virus is very low, the CDC says.

Second U.S. Case of MERS Virus Confirmed by Officials

3The virus appears to spread from close human contact.

Little is known about how the virus is transmitted, though the CDC says MERS spreads among people in close physical contact, such as family members and health-care workers treating MERS patients. Both U.S. cases, for example, are health-care workers who traveled from Saudi Arabia, while up to one-fifth of all cases have involved health-care workers, according to the CDC. Also, some people infected with MERS haven’t appeared to experience symptoms, the WHO says. Health organizations say humans might have first contracted the virus from animals, which could still be infecting people. Camels in several Middle Eastern countries have been confirmed carrying the MERS coronavirus, the strain that causes MERS in people.

Health authorities suspect an animal source may have first spread MERS to humans.

AFP/Getty Images

4Authorities are taking steps to curb the virus.

There is no vaccine or specific treatment for MERS, leaving hospitals largely to just treat the symptoms. The WHO this week called for urgent measures to control the virus, but stopped short of declaring its recent spread an international public-health emergency. It did ask for countries to take more prevention steps, such as improving infection control in hospitals, where most of the recent cases have occurred. The CDC, meanwhile, has increased its laboratory testing capacity to detect cases, has provided information for travelers and is discussing the possibility of developing a vaccine with partners.

The MERS coronavirus, up close

National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases/Reuters

5People traveling to the Middle East should take precautions.

Neither the CDC nor the WHO recommends that people change their travel plans because of the spreading virus. However, health-care workers heading to the Mideast should follow recommended steps to prevent infection, the CDC says. Other travelers should take commonly known measures to prevent respiratory illness, such as hand washing, covering their noses and mouths when sneezing or coughing, and avoiding sick people.